Brunei's Independence
Brunei achieved its independence on 1 January 1984.
Although he had abdicated, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien continued to play an important role as a mentor to his son. He was elected as the first Minister of Defence of Brunei and consequently conferred the rank of Field Marshal General in the Royal Brunei Armed Forces. His Highness attended the first Celebration of Independence Day of Brunei Darussalam on 23 February 1984.
His Highness welcomed the arrival of Yasser Arafat, the Chairman of Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) on his official visit to Brunei on 26 July 1984.
As Defence minister, He attended the official opening ceremony of the Reconnaissance Armoured Vehicle Squadron of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces on 30 July 1984. He also attended the opening ceremony of the International Literary Festival IV on December 9, 1985.
Read more about this topic: Omar Ali Saifuddien III
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